How to protect your dwelling house when a flood hits

Strong storms and high winds often cause flooding, even in areas that are not prone to such an event. Since we seem to experience extreme weather conditions recently, those areas which were unflooded formerly could get a months worth of rainfall in a single day. Therefore, it is important that everyone knows how to react to an event such as a flood.

You may not receive fair warning of a flash flood, but you can certainly take preventive steps to protect your house from drastic damage.

Prevent water from entering your home.

If you are expecting heavy rains or storms to hit your area, particularly if you live in a flood-prone area, you should cover your doors, or even windows, with metal sheets, sandbags, or plywood. You can also use silicone sealant to ensure that water will not enter your home. Measures such as these will not last for days, but may shore up your house against a short-term flood and help to keep possessions dry.

All your utilities should be totally switched off during floods.

Always keep in mind to switch off the essential utilities like gas, water and electricity at the mains switches and valves. Electrical devices should be unplugged and kept away from water, preferably at a higher level. Storage on the second floor ensures that items can remain dry and far from the influence of water, as in most cases the water level will not reach the level of the upstairs floors inside homes.

Take great care of your furniture and other equipment.

Valuable appliances and furniture should be kept in elevated areas or upstairs.
If a second floor is not available, as in case of a bungalow, raise items by arranging them on blocks or bricks. Ensure that you have removed all interior decorative items like curtains, carpets and sometimes internal doors which may be damaged by flood waters.
Stock them up at a height so that they are screened from being exposed to water.

The higher areas like the second floors are the best places to accumulate essential papers, images and other personal articles which are difficult to replace. If possible, put them into a waterproof container, maybe a food storage container. Otherwise, to make sure the important papers are safe against water, place them in sealed plastic bags.

Now focusing on objects external to your hose like garden furniture, keep them in a secure place. Items floating in floodwater can be dangerous for others. Besides, keep all your important items in a locked room or building (a garage) to prevent them from floating away. A seemingly heavy object like a wheelbarrow can be flung about and carried away by the flood, but it will be safe if stored inside your garage.

Once you have received a flood warning, there are several important tasks you must carry out immediately.

Information is crucial during situations like these.

Be attentive to all radio announcements and flood updates given by local services. Extend your full cooperation to emergency services and local authorities. If you are ordered to evacuate, you should follow them immediately to avoid putting yourself and those around you in danger.

Do not delay doing important work during the day as at night you cannot guarantee the availability of power. Also doing things in the night can be risky. Torch batteries must be kept handy and in known places ready for an emergency.

Alert your older neighbours to any new warnings, so they can get ready for the floods.

Until the time to move stay in your house safely. Floodwaters are so powerful that they can kill while flowing strongly, therefore it is recommended that you stay inside. Fast paced water that is about six inches high can easily off-balance you while two feet is enough depth to float a car.

Be sure to safeguard your pets and cars in secure places. When the flooding happens just staying inside your house is not enough, you must climb onto the second floor and stay there whilst the flood lasts. Various objects might float in the floodwater so avoid swimming as it could be dangerous. You can either be swept away or be knocked over by objects that are in the water.

Floodwater may be dirty and contaminated with sewage, so you should avoid contact if possible. Just imagine making it through the flood, and then falling sick because of contamination!. River bridges, sea defenses, and riverbanks are very dangerous places to be in during floods, so be sure to steer away from them if possible. You might have heard of many incidences of floodwater having destroyed and collapsed defenses and bridges , so don’t make yourself a victim.

Posted in Drain